Great Lakes Wire

It’s not unusual for individuals who suffer from asthma to also struggle with repeated sinus infections.

When an individual suffers from multiple sinus infections, it could be chronic sinusitis, which is classified as occurring three or more times each year, or lasts for more than four months at a time (12 weeks) .

Sinusitis may be caused by a virus, but it can also be caused by asthma, among other health conditions. In fact, up to half of the individuals who have moderate to severe asthma also deal with chronic sinusitis.

"Chronic sinus infections can have a significant impact on our quality of life, from how we perform at work/school and interact with friends and family,” said Dr. Seth Palmer, an Otolaryngologist Head and Neck surgeon, or ENT, at Michigan ENT and Allergy Specialists.

Treatments can help to lessen the symptoms of a sinus infection, like congestion, postnasal drip, or pain and swelling around the eyes, nose and forehead. These treatments can be less invasive – like steam inhalation, or nasal sprays that are meant to help lessen inflammation in the nose and sinuses, or medications prescribed by a doctor. There are also surgical interventions for more serious cases, including a procedure called a balloon sinuplasty, which is a minimally-invasive surgery that helps to open the sinuses and make it easier to breathe.

“Doing balloon sinus procedures is something I find incredibly rewarding. Patients have very minimal pain and recover within a day or two. I love being able to be part of something that is so-low risk and at the same time so highly successful,” said Dr. Richard J. Strabbing, another ENT at Michigan ENT and Allergy Specialists.

The balloon sinuplasty procedure is one that a doctor will perform with the patient under general anesthesia. The physician will insert a catheter and balloon into the sinuses and inflate it to open the sinuses. Once the sinus passages have opened, the doctor will deflate the balloon and remove it.

If you’re not sure whether your symptoms are chronic sinusitis or something else, a qualified doctor can help you figure it out.

“We have a great team at Michigan ENT and Allergy that can evaluate you to improve your health and wellness. We have providers who are excellent in evaluating the sinuses with endoscopy, allergy testing, and CT sinus to come up with the best management for your chronic sinus issues,” said Palmer. “There are many things we can do to treat the sinuses from using an appropriate nasal/allergy regimen, to procedures that can be done in the office, and surgical options. It would be our pleasure to see you and discuss how we can improve your sinus symptoms.”

To learn more about balloon sinuplasty and the doctors at Michigan ENT and allergy specialists, visit michiganallergy.com.

Chronic sinusitis can make it hard to enjoy everyday life. If you think a specialist could help, take this quiz.